The recent 2022 election campaigns established the futures of Te Uruhi and the Kāpiti Coast Airport as matters of importance to our local community. Having been two of the most hotly discussed topics in recent years amongst members of the Kāpiti Chamber and the public alike, most elected members staunchly campaigned on these issues. Chamber-hosted events provided a platform for elected members to share their views. A detailed election manifesto, made available on the Chamber website, has captured these for public reference.
The outcome of the Te Uruhi project and the proposed development of the airport is not the only significant issue. Elected members must hold to the messages of their campaigns, as their positions on these contentious topics would have strongly influenced voters. While opinions on these issues will never be unanimous, our elected members must act with integrity in following through on their advertised positions to accurately represent the voice of our community.
Chamber Co-Chair Monique Leith noted that the upcoming Council meeting to decide the fate of Te Uruhi will be a telling demonstration of what to expect from our elected members moving forward.
“We will be watching the performance of elected members at this meeting closely. Most elected members criticised, during their campaign, the low level of transparency shown by the previous Council. It is now their turn to show how transparent they are by staying true to the promises made on the campaign trail.” she says.
This is a crucial opportunity for our elected members to demonstrate leadership by creating clear, honest, and visible communication channels about matters as they proceed. Many elected members highlighted the necessity of being available to the community throughout such processes. In the coming months, the Chamber advocacy subcommittee will lead the charge of holding elected members accountable for providing their promised outcomes to locals on the Kāpiti Coast.